I. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals and, more particularly, to a printed conductive mesh dipole antenna and a method of transmitting and receiving signals using a printed conductive mesh dipole antenna.
II. Description of the Background
The use of cordless and cellular telephones is increasing exponentially in modem society. However, the large size of early handsets for use in such telephone systems made portability of the handsets, over short or long distances, cumbersome, and, in some cases, physically taxing. Additionally, storage of larger handsets is difficult, as such handsets do not fit into pockets, purses, wallets, or similar spaces.
As the size of handsets has been decreased, those handsets have become more portable and easier to store. However, the antennae necessary to the operation of those handsets still provides an impediment to portability and storability. Additionally, antennae could be easily broken if they extend too far to be easily stored or carried. Prior art attempts to decrease the size of the antenna used with handsets have typically led to a corresponding decrease in the performance of the antenna, and, thus, of the handset. Antennae printed on printed circuit boards have helped alleviate both problems, providing improved performance and smaller size, but such antennae still have a finite length to which they can be reduced while still retaining adequate performance characteristics.
Therefore, the need exists for an antenna for use with telephone handsets that provides a decrease in size, and thus provides ease in portability and storability, without a sacrifice in antenna performance.
The present invention is directed to a printed dipole antenna. The printed dipole antenna includes a dielectric substrate and a conductive mesh formed of a plurality of symmetric shapes printed on the dielectric substrate. Each of the plurality of symmetric shapes is coupled to at least one other of the plurality of symmetric shapes. Each of the symmetric shapes is placed periodically on the dielectric substrate proximate to at least one other of the plurality of symmetric shapes, thereby allowing a coupling between the symmetric shapes. The periodic placement of the symmetric shapes forms a symmetric pattern of a conductive mesh on the dielectric substrate.
The present invention also includes a method of transmitting and receiving signals using a dipole antenna. The method includes providing a dielectric substrate, printing on the dielectric substrate a plurality of symmetric shapes into a conductive mesh formed of a symmetric placement of the shapes into a periodic pattern, coupling each of the shapes to at least one adjacent shape.
In transmit mode, the method continues with feeding a transmitted signal to the conductive mesh from a coupled transceiver, passing the transmitted signal through at least a portion of the conductive mesh, and transmitting the transmitted signal at the conductive mesh.
In receive mode, the method continues with receiving at least one signal at the conductive mesh, passing the received signal through at least a portion of the conductive mesh, and feeding the received signal from the conductive mesh to a coupled transceiver. The coupled transceiver is preferably a cellular or cordless telephone handset.
The present invention solves problems experienced with the prior art because the present invention provides an antenna and a method for use with a telephone handset that provides a decrease in size, and thus provides ease in portability and storability, without a sacrifice in antenna performance. The decrease in size is provided through a decrease in physical length of the antenna through the use of the conductive mesh. This invention uses the zigzag of the current to achieve the reduction of the physical size of the antenna. Those and other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention hereinbelow.